AMANDA
By ROBERT KLEIN
CENTRAL IDEA OF THE POEM:
The poem deals with the upbringing of a small girl
Amanda. It emphasizes the difficulties faced by the child. Poet Robert Klein
raises an important point when he says that a child should never be denied
freedom and space.
Though it is parents who are responsible for their
child's upbringing, this should not make the child feel trapped. Here, Amanda
is being prepared to be acceptable in society, and this preparation or training
necessitates the restrictions of her freedom. Her imagination is not given
enough space, which irritates her so much that she wishes to be an orphan. As a
result of the nagging (continuous fault-finding), she has become moody.
EXPLANATION
Don’t bite your nails,
Amanda!
Don’t hunch your
shoulders, Amanda!
Stop that slouching and
sit up straight,
Amanda!
In the above lines, Amanda is being instructed, most probably by
her parent for biting nails and sitting lazily with her shoulders bent. The
tone of instructions here is not welcoming, and as a result, Amanda doesn't
understand them. The poet here emphasizes the aspects related to a child's
(girl's) upbringing and how parents go to any limit to ensure that their child
is properly educated. Amanda is thus being prepared for the society in which
she lives. The last word ‘Amanda’ is used with an exclamation mark, indicating
the parent's annoyance and frustration.
(There is a languid, emerald sea,
where the sole inhabitant is me –
a mermaid, drifting blissfully.)
It should be observed that the above lines are enclosed in
brackets. Brackets are used to provide more meaning to the phrase. The poet
uses it here to depict the little girl's imagination, the free flow of pure
thoughts. Amanda uses her imagination to escape her parent's day-to-day
commands.
She feels suffocated in the actual world and thus finds peace in
her very own created world, where there are no restraints. She imagines herself
to be a joyful mermaid gliding across the green sea's soft waves. Amanda's
world is free and contained in itself, and her happiness doesn’t require the
presence of another human being. For a child, the mermaid is a symbol of
freedom and wonder.
Did you finish your
homework, Amanda?
Did you tidy your room,
Amanda?
I thought I told you to
clean your shoes,
Amanda!
Amanda is now being asked if she has finished her homework, tidied up her room, and if she has cleaned her shoes. This set of instructions differs from the ones given in stanza 1. Amanda is now being instructed about the things concerning her surroundings. The pattern of instructions demonstrates how every aspect of her is related to questioning and proper guidance. She is being disciplined for everything, robbing her of her freedom. Her innocence is gradually getting lost with time. The manner in which these instructions are delivered emphasizes the regular nature of these lessons. Her name being called again with an exclamation mark indicates that the parent seems to be losing her cool and is troubled.
(I am an orphan, roaming
the street.
I pattern soft dust with
my hushed, bare feet.
The silence is golden,
the freedom is sweet.)
Amanda’s reaction to her mother’s harsh words is depicted once
again in this stanza. Amanda withdraws into another imaginary world. The very
first line is extremely depressing, in which Amanda imagines herself to be an
orphan, expressing her frustration with her mother's constant questioning. She
is wearing no shoes, with her bare feet, she creates patterns on the dusty
ground. She cherishes the silence as well as the freedom to do whatever she
wants in her imaginary world. Her love for silence stems from her parent's
yelling and shouting.
Don’t eat that chocolate,
Amanda!
Remember your acne,
Amanda!
Will you please look at
me when I’m speaking
to you, Amanda!
The set of instructions provided here demonstrates how important
it is for Amanda to understand the value of external beauty and the steps that
must be taken to preserve it from a very tender age. Amanda's parent forbids
her from eating chocolate because it previously caused her acne. Here, we see
how a child is made aware of a natural experience, such as acne. Amanda, on the
other hand, is still lost in her thoughts and doesn’t care enough to look up to
her scolding parent. This carelessness angers the parent even more, and she
demands her attention when she is being scolded. The role of appearance in
society is given more significance than the basic values and creativities.
(I am Rapunzel, I have
not care;
life in a tower is
tranquil and rare;
I’ll certainly never let down my bright hair!)
Amanda is still engrossed in her dreams. She imagines herself as
Rapunzel, the long golden-haired princess who lived in a castle and didn't care
about anything. Amanda imagines Rapunzel's life in the tower must have been
very peaceful and fantastic. However, she wishes to evade Rapunzel's because
she is unwilling to let her hair down. Amanda doesn’t want her peace to be
disturbed in any way. She seeks a life apart from other people. We can see here
how the presence of her parents and their inhuman behaviour has made her
against any human connection. Hence, she prefers to live alone because the
presence of another being in her life would compel her to act in a certain way.
Amanda wants to live as a free and happy person.
Stop that
sulking at once, Amanda!
You’re always
so moody, Amanda!
Anyone would
think that I nagged at
you, Amanda!
The parent continues to instruct Amanda on the dos and don’ts,
but Amanda remains lost in her dreams. Amanda's parent believes she is not
reacting because she is annoyed. Amanda’s behaviour has made her parent look
bad and she is worried about her image. She is concerned about how society will
perceive her if her child always remains in a foul mood. She wants to prove
herself as a responsible parent who manages to balance between what the child
desires and what society expects out of Amanda. However, she has already failed
in her efforts.
#AMANDA
WORD MEANING
Languid – without any force or
interest.
Mermaid – an imaginary sea
creature having a woman’s head and body with a fish’s tail instead of legs.
Drifting – a slow and steady
movement.
Tidy – to be in the right order.
Orphan – a child whose parents
are either dead or gone missing.
Roaming – to move about
aimlessly, especially over a wide area.
Bare – something not clothed
or covered.
Acne – common skin disease
characterised by pimples, especially on the face.
Rapunzel – Rapunzel is the name of
a German fairy tale character who was made to live alone in a high tower and
had very long, beautiful golden hair. She was held captive by a witch dame
Gothel, who used to come up to the tower by climbing her long hair. The only
way one could make a contact with her was only using her long hair.
Tranquil – free from any trouble
or anxiety, to be in a peaceful state of mind.
Sulking – to be angry or upset
about something.
Nagged – to irritate (someone)
by uncomplaining about his or her attitudes again and again.
#AMANDA
QUESTIONS:
Q: How old
do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?
Answer:
Amanda is about a 9-10-year-old school going girl. She is being scolded for
things typical for that particular age. Her parents are trying to instil good
manners and etiquettes in her. She is very innocent and immature.
Q: Who
do you think is speaking to her?
Answer:
One of her parents is speaking to her. Most probably it is her mother. In a
traditional household, the mother is held accountable for her child's
behaviour. The range of instructions in this case also suggests that the
speaker is Amanda's mother.
Q: Why
are stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in parenthesis?
Answer:
Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 are given in parenthesis because they reflect the inner
thoughts of Amanda. They can be interpreted as the child's reaction to the
instructions given in stanzas 1, 3 and 5. In this case, there is an alternate
sequence of the mother's scolding and the child's reaction to it. Also,
parenthesis is used here to make the poem easier to read.
Q: Who is
the speaker in stanzas 2, 4 and 6? Do you think this speaker is listening to
the speaker in stanzas 1, 3, 5 and 7?
Answer:
The speaker of stanzas 2, 4 and 6 is the child, Amanda. No, she is not paying
any attention to the speaker in stanzas 1. 3. 5 and 7 because she is lost in
her world. Her imaginations allow her to escape from her bleak reality.
Q: What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?
Answer:
Amanda wishes she could be a mermaid and float around on a languid (relaxed)
emerald sea. She simply wishes to be carried away by the green sea waves slowly
and gradually. Amanda yearns for a place where she is all by herself as her
happiness is not dependant on any other human being. Hence, she desires to be a
mermaid because the mermaid is a symbol of freedom and wonder for a child.
Q: Is
Amanda an Orphan? Why does she say so?
Answer:
No, Amanda is not an orphan, though she wishes to be one. She is so much
stressed by her parents' nagging with continuous nagging that she imagines
herself to be better off without them. Her parents' mere presence depresses
her. Amanda is a young girl who longs for 'golden' silence and 'sweet' freedom.
She wishes to roam around the streets and draw patterns with her bare feet.
Indeed it is depressing that Amanda expects to be an orphan.
Q: Do
you know the story of Rapunzel? Why does she want to be a Rapunzel?
Answer:
Yes, I know the story of Rapunzel. Rapunzel's story is centred on her life on a
tower. A witch forced Rapunzel to live on a high tower. She eventually got used
to living there. She was content and happy with her life. Rapunzel had very
long golden hair, which the witch would use to visit her. Rapunzel's fate
changed when a prince came to meet her using her hair one day. The witch
punished both of them by separating them. After a couple of years, they finally
met, only to be united forever this time.
Amanda
wishes she could live on a high tower like Rapunzel, away from everyone. She
seeks peace and harmony. That is why Amanda aspires to be like Rapunzel.
However, she emphasizes that she would never let her hair down for anyone to
climb to her to avoid being disturbed.
Q: What
does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?
Answer:
The girl, Amanda, yearns for freedom and space for herself. She is unable to
meet her parents' expectations. Amanda is a symbol for all the children who
face a similar fate, regardless of class, colour or nationality. Traditional
societies expect a certain type of behaviour from individuals, and the training
to produce such behaviour begins at a very young age. Parents ignore their
children's innocence and understanding level, and as a result, the children end
up killing their imagination and thoughts.
Q.
Read the last stanza. Do you think Amanda is sulking and is moody?
Answer: Amanda,
according to the poet, is sulking. Amanda is dissatisfied with her
surroundings. She frequently escapes into the world of daydreams. That is why
she appears to be sulking when she comes back from those dreams to the world of
harsh reality.
Additional Questions
Extract Based Questions
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that
follow:
1. Don’t bite your nails, Amanda!
Don’t hunch your
shoulders, Amanda!
Stop that slouching and
sit up straight,
Amanda!
a. What is Amanda doing to her nails?
Answer: Amanda is biting her nails.
b. What does she do to her shoulders?
Answer: She hunches her shoulders.
c. What is her sitting posture?
Answer: She is sitting in a slouching posture.
d. How should Amanda sit?
Answer: Amanda should sit straight.
2. (There is a languid, emerald sea,
where the sole
inhabitant is me —
a mermaid, drifting
blissfully.)
a. Who do these lines refer to?
Answer: These lines refer to a little girl named Amanda.
b. How is the sea?
Answer: The sea is peaceful and beautiful/beautiful.
c. Who is the sole inhabitant of the sea?
Answer: The sole inhabitant of the sea is Amanda who is the
mermaid.
d. What does the person refer to want to do?
Answer: The person referred wants to drift blissfully with the
soft-moving waves of the sea.
3. Did you finish your homework, Amanda?
Did you tidy your room,
Amanda?
I thought I told you to
clean your shoes,
Amanda!
a. What does the speaker ask Amanda?
Answer: The speaker asks Amanda if she has done her homework.
b. What does the speaker ask her about her room?
Answer: The speaker asks her if she had cleaned her room.
c. What was Amanda told to clean?
Answer: Amanda was told to clean her shoes.
d. Has Amanda cleaned her shoes?
Answer: No, Amanda has not cleaned her shoes.
4. (I am an orphan, roaming the street.
I pattern soft dust
with my hushed, bare feet.
The silence is golden,
the freedom is sweet)
a. Who longs to be an orphan?
Answer: Amanda longs to be an orphan.
b. Where is the orphan roaming?
Answer: The orphan is roaming in the street.
c. How does the speaker make designs?
Answer: The speaker makes designs
on the soft dust with her bare feet.
d. What does the speaker say about silence and freedom?
Answer: The speaker says that silence is golden and freedom is
sweet.
5. Don’t eat that chocolate, Amanda!
Remember your acne.
Amanda!
Will you please look at
me when I’m speaking to you,
Amanda!
a. What does the speaker tell Amanda about chocolate?
Answer: The speaker tells Amanda not to eat chocolate.
b. Why should she not eat chocolate, according to the speaker?
Answer: She should not eat
chocolate because it causes acne.
c. What does the speaker want Amanda to do when he is talking to
her?
Answer: The speaker wants that
Amanda should look at her when she is addressing her.
d. Was Amanda listening to the speaker?
Answer: No, Amanda was not listening to the speaker.
6. (I am Rapunzel, I have not care ;
life in a tower is
tranquil and rare ;
I’ll certainly never
let down my bright hair !)
a. Who was Rapunzel?
Answer: Rapunzel was a
fairy with very long hair.
b. What kind of life did Rapunzel lead?
Answer: She led a peaceful life in a tower in which she was
imprisoned by a witch.
c. What did she do with her bright hair?
Answer: She let her hair fall down from the castle for her lover
to climb upholding them.
d. What does the girl in these lines want to do?
Answer: The girl, Amanda, wants never to let down her bright hair.
7. Stop that sulking at once, Amanda!
You’re always so moody,
Amanda!
Anyone would think that
I nagged at you,
Amanda!
a. Whom does the speaker ask to stop sulking?
Answer: The speaker asks Amanda to stop sulking.
b. Did Amanda really sulk?
Answer: Amanda did not sulk, but
she did have some bad habits, such as nail-biting.
c. What kind of girl was Amanda?
Answer: Amanda was a free-spirited and moody girl.
d. What does the speaker fear people will think about her?
Answer: The speaker fears that people will think that she nags
Amanda.
Q.
What are the role/importance of punctuation marks in language? Why has the poet
used the exclamation mark after Amanda? Comment on the title of the poem.
Answer: (i) Punctuation is an essential part
of grammar. It is used to create or add sense, clarity and emphasis to
sentences. It is used to structure and organise the writing.
(ii)
The exclamation mark after Amanda! indicates the mother’s surprise on seeing
Amanda.
Q: Is the purpose of someone constantly giving
instructions to Amanda being fulfilled? Explain.
Q.
Amanda imagines herself to be Rapunzel, yet would not like to do what all she
did. Identify and state the reasons for her decision.
Answer: Amanda
wishes to be Rapunzel because she wishes to live a peaceful life in a tower
where no one instructs her and she is not required to do any work. But she
refuses to escape with a prince like Rapunzel. She never wants to leave such a
peaceful environment, with no instructions and no work to do.
Q. Who is the mermaid in ‘Amanda’? What does ‘she’ wish to do?
Answer: The mermaid is Amanda herself; as imagined by Amanda. She wishes to be alone on a dreamy, emerald sea.
Q.
What is the theme of the poem, ‘Amanda’?
Answer: Children dislike having too many instructions and too much control over them. They become bored and irritated. Then they listen to their parents only half-heartedly and indulge in daydreaming.
Q.
What message does the poet want to give through the poem, ‘Amanda’?
Answer:
The poet wishes to convey that parents in their effort to make
their children well-behaved, mannerly having good habits give them too many
instructions or nag (always finding fault) them. They should take positive
steps that are acceptable to children. Otherwise, they will stop listening to
them and start daydreaming, just like Amanda did.
Q.
Who was Amanda? What idea do you form of her through the poem?
Answer: Amanda is a little girl
who attends school. She seems to enjoy fairy tales, such as Rapunzel and
mermaids. She dislikes too many instructions or nagging, which causes her to
sulk and become moody. Then she stops paying attention to her mother and begins
daydreaming.
Q.
Why does she dream to be an orphan?
Answer: Amanda dreams to be an orphan because she believes orphans live carefree lives. There is no one around to annoy them with instructions. They can walk down the street barefoot and make patterns in the soft dust. They are not required to clean their shoes or room, nor are they required to complete their homework.
Q.
Amanda imagines herself to be Rapunzel, yet would not like to do what all she
did. Identify and state the reasons for her decision.
Answer:
Amanda says it, in the story, Rapunzel lets down her long,
beautiful hair to flee with the prince. Rapunzel’s life on the tower, on the
other hand, fascinates Amanda. She never wants to leave such a peaceful
environment, with no instruction and no work to do.
Q.
What made Amanda sulk and become moody?
Answer: When Amanda's mother gives her too many instructions, she sulks and becomes moody when her. She does not want to follow them, but she can’t dare to ignore them either, so she sulks.
Q.
How is Amanda seen behaving when the poem starts? What does the speaker ask her
not to do?
Answer: Amanda is biting her nails at the beginning of the poem. Her shoulders are hunched. She is slouching while sitting. That is why the speaker asks her to behave normally. She asks her not to bite her nails and hunch her shoulders. She should sit up straight.
Q.
In her daydreaming, Amanda reaches the sea. What does she imagine herself to
be?
Answer:
Amanda finds the sea to be relaxing and peaceful and she is the
only creature in the sea. She imagines herself to be a mermaid. She is happy.
She is blissfully drifting on the waves.
Q.
What three things does the speaker ask Amanda to do which she has not done?
Answer: The speaker asks Amanda to finish her homework. Then she asks her if she has cleaned up her room. Finally, she finds that her shoes are not clean even though she had asked her to clean them.
Q.
How does Amanda describe her life as an orphan?
Answer: Amanda says that she is an
orphan. She is free and roams the street. The street is softly dusty under her
feet. She walks quietly, making patterns on the soft dust with her bare feet.
She considers silence to be golden and freedom to be sweet.
Q. Why is Amanda forbidden to eat chocolate? How does Amanda behave when she is addressed by the speaker?
Answer: The
speaker asks Amanda not to eat chocolate because she has had acne already.
Eating chocolate may cause more pimples. Amanda listens to the speaker without
raising her face.
Q.
What/Why does Amanda say, “I am Rapunzel”? What does she promise not to do?
Answer: Rapunzel was a beautiful girl with long hair. A witch imprisoned her in a tower. Amanda imagines herself to be like Rapunzel, who lived a peaceful life. She promises never to let down her bright hair.
17.
What does the speaker tell Amanda in the end? What is the speaker afraid of?
Answer: Amanda, according to the speaker, is sulking and becoming moody.
She thinks that Amanda is always in a bad mood. She asks her not to sulk
because she is afraid that people will think that she is nagging Amanda.
18.
What is the central idea of the poem?
Answer: The
central idea of the poem is that children love freedom. They do not want any
limitations placed on their activities. Secondly, they have their fantasy
world. They prefer to spend most of their time in their fantasy world. The
elders, on the other hand, are constantly destroying that dream world by
ordering them around.
Q.
Is Amanda’s attitude a typical teenage behaviour? What is the lesson for
parents from this poem?
Answer: Amanda’s
attitude is typical of a teenager. Teenagers can be rebellious and apparently
hot-headed with a highly independent perspective. In such circumstances,
yelling at them and nagging them, as done in the poem with Amanda, will only
make matters worse. Forcing decisions on them only makes them more detached as
we see in Amanda’s case, where she wishes to be a love mermaid, an orphan or
the lonely Rapunzel. She doesn’t want to listen to anyone.
Q. Bringing up teenagers can be both a
challenge and fun. How far do you agree? Express your views with reference to
Amanda’s life.
Answer: Amanda’s
attitude is typical of a teenager. Teenagers can be rebellious and apparently
hot-headed with a highly independent perspective. In such circumstances,
yelling at them and nagging them, as done in the poem with Amanda, will only
make matters worse. Forcing decisions on them only makes them more detached as
we see in Amanda’s case, where she wishes to be a love mermaid, an orphan or
the lonely Rapunzel. She doesn’t want to listen to anyone. To make things fun,
one must become a friend when and where needed. Sometimes it is just nice to
'chill' with one’s kids!
Q: Write a
short note on the title of the poem?
Answer: The
poem is titled Amanda because it is about the upbringing of a little girl named
Amanda. Her life has been full of struggles in which she has been denied
freedom and expression. Amanda is so enraged that she escapes reality by living
in her imaginative world. She finds peace through this gateway, away from her
nagging parents.
Q: Why is Amanda getting scolded for having
chocolate?
Answer: Amanda is being scolded for eating
chocolates, which previously caused her acne. Amanda’s mother is very
particular about such things.
Amanda is made aware of her physical appearance. Unfortunately,
Amanda is forced to worry about natural experiences at such a young age.
Q: How life on a tower would be
different from life anywhere else for Amanda?
Answer: Amand's life on the tower would be very different from her
reality. She, like Rapunzel, wishes to live on top of a tower, away from the
daily chaos. Amanda suffers due to the nagging from her parents. She seeks a
place full of peace and serenity, where no one can bother her. Hence, she
wishes to live on a tower.
Q: Why does Amanda seem moody
most of the time?
Answer: Amanda
appears moody most of the time because she is trying to escape from her
dreadful reality where she is constantly nagged. It is a sorry situation for a
small child like Amanda to be in. Here the only defence against such reality is
her imagination where she often escapes to. Hence, it makes her look moody and
uninterested.
Q: Why does Amanda wish to be a mermaid, an
orphan, or Rapunzel?
Answer: Amanda wishes she could be a mermaid and float alone in the
blissfully languid emerald sea. She yearns to be an orphan so that she can roam
the street around and make patterns with her bare feet. Being Rapunzel means
she could live a carefree life on a high tower. Amanda wishes to be these to
escape her suffocating reality.
Q: How does it help Amanda to be an orphan?
Answer: Amanda feels troubled around her parents, so she wishes to be an orphan. As then only she could live a life of her own without much difficulty.
Q: Do you consider Amanda’s mother to be a nagging mother?
Answer: Amanda’s mother is obsessed with instructions and finding faults. No doubt it is her responsibility to instil good values into her daughter, but not at the cost of her child’s happiness. One should know how to strike a balance between maintaining responsibilities and taking good care of oneself.
Q: Is Amanda at fault at all?
Answer: Amanda is not at fault at all. It is too harsh for a small child to understand the concept of acne and abstaining from chocolate. Amanda's life is devoid of parental love. It is with pity that we look towards Amanda. Nothing could be worse for a child who wishes to be an orphan. Amanda simply wants to be free of the oppressive environment that surrounds her.
Q: What is the central theme of
the poem Amanda?
Answer: The poem Amanda by Robin Klein
emphasizes the importance of the upbringing of a child. It emphasizes that
upbringing doesn’t imply solely preparing a child to be responsible and fit for
society only. It is important to note that upbringing involves understanding
from both sides. A child cannot be forced to be civilised and well mannered.
Love and proper care are required in nurturing a child.
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